This invention relates generally to asset valuation and more specifically to computerized methods and systems for providing values of equipment to a sales industry.
An equipment sales force needs prompt and accurate equipment values. Liquidation value, residual value, purchase option value and fair market (net realizable) value quotes are used for pricing new business, structuring deals and assessing the risk level of those deals. A quote is a value of a good provided in response to a request for the value of that good. Currently, sales forces typically send in requests for residual quotes to asset management and analysis groups.
Known asset valuation methods and systems have several disadvantages. For example, current asset valuation methods and systems are largely paper-based. Multiple groups of employees provide new information and the accuracy of the information depends on the experience and knowledge of the employees. In addition, using known methods and systems can be time consuming. The current paper-based systems utilize huge paper storage areas that make querying and researching difficult. For quotes on the value of unusual goods or exceptions, the minimal response time is typically longer than desired. This is due in part to the fact that the current systems and methods do not allow retrieval of old exception quotes and have no reporting capability. Therefore, every exception involves additional research. In automated asset valuation methods and systems, the asset values typically reside on multiple servers that are sometimes unable to communicate with other systems, utilizing extensive information technology intervention for updating and retrieving data, which results in time delay and increased costs.
It would be desirable to provide computerized asset valuation methods and systems that provide greater access to quotes to a sales industry without the investment of time, money and resources common for known methods and systems.